The Old is New Again in Bradley's "The New American Story"

In a very real sense, Bill Bradley’s The New American Story is really the old American story, or more accurately, the Original American Story.  It is an impassioned plea, coupled with a detailed roadmap to help America trace its way back to the original vision of Thomas Jefferson and the founders of our country: farsighted men who created a constitution for a new nation unlike anything the world had ever seen before; one which, at heart, was based upon an unshakable faith in the fundamental goodness of people and the right of all human beings, regardless of birth or nationality, to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. 

The premise, at first blush, seems a bit too optimistic – but Bradley’s writing reveals a surprisingly passionate, persuasive voice that very quickly makes you a believer.  Tackling various modern issues, from globalization, to the economy, to health and education, he introduces readers to “the story we’re told” about America – the story in the media, the story we accept through popular culture.  Then, in a methodical and compelling way, he exposes the flaws of those perceptions and offers practical solutions to what The New American Story must be, if our country is to once again be admired and respected by foes and friends alike around the world.

Bill Bradley is unique in the American political landscape.  A graduate of Princeton University and a Rhode Scholar, he became a popular basketball player with the New York Knicks in the early 70’s, where he earned a reputation as one of the greatest players of the game.  Upon retiring he successfully ran for Senator of New Jersey, and was later a presidential candidate in the 2000 election, losing the Democratic nomination to Al Gore.  Today he is an investment banker, a highly successful author, and host of “American Voices,” a satellite radio show on Sirius Satellite Radio.

In The New American Story, Bradley paints a picture of a nation that has lost its way in the world and drifted far from the original vision of its founding fathers.  While he places fault at the feet of Democrats and Republicans alike for bringing this about in recent years, at the core is a damning indictment of the Bush administration and its arrogant, misguided, and hypocritical foreign policies.  The story we’re told by the Bush administration is that, because America is the dominant superpower, the views of other countries are unimportant to us.  We are feared for our military might and respected because we’re not afraid to stand up for our values.  But the truth is, according to Bradley, that America rules the world without thinking it necessary to abide by its rules – and so has positioned itself on a direct collision course with other nations.

In the chapter, “America’s Role in the World,” Bradley contents that President Bush squandered “the teachable moment” that was 9/11.  It was a pivotal moment when we had the world’s sympathy, respect and support, when even French newspapers proclaimed, “We are all Americans.”  The world backed our invasion of Afghanistan to defeat the Taliban, but we quickly squandered the great reservoir of goodwill when we invaded Iraq in defiance of world opinion.  Now we are mired in sectarian violence that traces its roots hundreds of years back.  Meanwhile, the Bush administration plays favorites in allowing the proliferation of nuclear weapons, supporting “friendly” nations like India and Israel, but not those it perceives as hostile, like Iran.  The result is wariness, resentment, and outright hostility toward us among other nations, who distrust our motives.  When we flex our military muscle, nations no longer support our cause; rather we are seen as a country “bent on domination.”

Bradley calls Bush’s wasted potential to lead the world after 9/11 a lost opportunity “of colossal proportion.”  Instead of rallying other nations behind the fight to end terrorism and its root causes, including oil dependency, illiteracy, poverty and discontent among the young, Bush has created an atmosphere where the United States is viewed as possibly the number one greatest threat to stability in the world.

The New American Story recognizes that we are all global citizens.  Therefore, we must all work together to eliminate terrorism, address the impending disaster of global warning, and consider our economy in the context of the global economy.  Since we are the largest consumer of oil, we must go farther than other countries in lessening our dependency on oil; we must develop incentives to encourage other nations to invest in health and education for their people; we must talk before we act, pursue diplomacy before war.  If America can work towards these goals, it will regain the respect of the world.

American’s greatest accomplishments, says Bradley, were not the wars it has won around the world, but the battles it has won at home: improving the daily lives of ordinary people, expanding freedom to a greater range of people, of all nationality, races, and beliefs, and creating equality for all in society and the workplace.

The New American Story is founded upon Bradley’s unshakeable and inspiring belief in the limitless potential of the human spirit and the ability of the American people to succeed – through their pragmatic, optimistic and generous spirit – in improving the quality of their lives on a national level and on a global scale.  It is founded upon Bradley’s belief in an America that can become the leader of the world again, not by the power of the sword, but the power of example.